Teach didn’t want to have a discussion in front of Easton. Teach knew Anne was upset, but nobody had said anything about going after Webb. Teach simply wanted to free his men and Anne’s friends and leave Nassau as quickly as possible. “We can discuss this later.”
“Why not now?” Easton asked.
The man had a death wish.
“I have some papers signed by Webb. Supply lists for the Killorn. In the beginning, Webb signed and paid for everything. He left a trail of bread crumbs leading back to him. But it didn’t take long for him to catch on. It didn’t matter. By then, I’d already managed to mimic his signature.”
Teach gave a short laugh. “Which means the only evidence you have against him are forged documents. Nothing that would hold up in court.”
“How good are the forgeries?” Anne asked.
Easton winked at her. “I like you. If you were mine, I’d name my ship after you.”
“She’s not yours,” Teach snapped.
“She could be,” Easton said.
Teach took a menacing step forward, but Anne placed her hand on his chest. “Stop. This is ridiculous. Circumstances have made Webb our common enemy. Now we need to work together to fight against him.”
“All I have to do is take Easton and his men back to Nassau,” Teach said. “That should be enough to grant me clemency.”
“You won’t take me back alive.”
“Judging from the look of you and your crew, you won’t last much longer on your own.”
For the first time Easton glared at him. “Does the sight of us starving to death amuse you?”
Heat suffused Teach’s face. “I was simply pointing out that you’re fast running out of supplies.”
“And do you know why? Because we didn’t deliver the Deliverance to Webb. Everyone had heard about Richard Drummond’s mighty ship, and Webb wanted to be the one to take it. Ironic, isn’t it? Once we captured it, we were supposed to rendezvous with Webb and split the spoils. He usually left supplies for us in the cay. But thanks to you and your men, the Killorn was badly damaged. It took us more than a week to get to the rendezvous point. But there was nothing waiting for us. And I knew then that we were all dead men. Webb wants me gone before the documents and papers I have against him can get into the wrong hands.”
Teach knew that if any of the merchants found out about Webb’s dealings, they wouldn’t be so keen to join Pelham and Webb.
“Which is why Webb sent Nathan with specific instructions to kill you,” Anne murmured.
“I’m truly grateful you shot the bounder,” Easton said.
Teach didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know what to do. He wasn’t convinced he wanted to go after Webb, especially not with so many lives at stake. But something had to be done.
“There’s more,” Easton said.
What else could there be, Teach wondered.
“Webb’s just the beginning. As wicked as he is, he’s almost tame compared to his colleagues. They’ve scheduled a meeting in Jamaica and should arrive within three months.”
“Seven weeks, actually,” Anne said.
Both Teach and Easton threw Anne a surprised look.
“I was at the tavern with Benjamin when Pelham stopped by one day. Pelham was upset that Alastair refused to join their group. They want to challenge the monopoly the Royal African Company has on slavery. Pelham said others would be arriving soon and Alastair would need to rethink his position.”
“I know who those men are. And they all deserve to hang.”
“But who would believe a pirate?” Teach asked, giving Easton a skeptical glance.
“I know you don’t believe me, but I do have documentation of Webb’s crimes. In the beginning, he trusted me. Later, when Pelham arrived and told Webb his plans, Webb asked for the papers back, but I said they’d been destroyed. I don’t think he believed me. In fact, he had the Killorn searched twice. But I don’t keep any of those things on me. I keep ’em somewhere safe. I consider it a form of insurance, if you will.”
“That was an awful gamble to take,” Anne said. “Especially now that you know how desperate he is.”
“I know. But like a cat, I have nine lives.”
Teach rolled his eyes at the same time that Benjamin appeared in the door, a relieved look on his face. “Captain?”
“Yes,” Teach and Easton replied, simultaneously.
There was a slight pause as Benjamin looked between the two until Teach spoke up. “What is it?”
“It’s still my ship,” Easton mumbled.
“The Triumph just entered the cay and is preparing to drop anchor. Looks like John is here.”
“It’s about time,” Teach muttered. Turning to Anne, he motioned to the doorway. “Let’s go and see what John has to say about his tardiness.”
“Should I be worried?” Easton asked, as the man at his side wrapped a bandage around his shoulder.
Anne quirked a brow at him. “About what?”
“That more of your friends have shown up.”
An image of John fighting Easton flashed in Teach’s mind and he smiled. “Perhaps.”
Just as Teach had finished speaking, a familiar hum burst through the air. A half second later, the deep boom of cannon fire shook the ship. The Killorn rocked, riding the waves caused by the cannonball.
“Did your men just shoot at us?” Easton’s voice was incredulous.
Shocked, Teach met Anne’s wide eyes. “There must be some mistake,” he said. “I never told him to open fire.”
“Perhaps he’s worried because he hasn’t seen you,” Anne offered.
“Right. We’ll go up on deck and—” A second cannonball striking the hull of the ship cut off Teach’s words. That was no mistake.
“Blimey! Get up there!” Easton yelled. “Before they tear my bloody ship apart.”
“Stay here,” Teach said to Anne before turning to the door. “Easton, try to make yourself useful.”
“I’ll keep her safe,” Easton called after him.
Shooting the pirate a murderous glare over his shoulder, Teach raced up to the deck, his heart lurching in painful strikes against his ribs. His crew looked to him, waiting for orders, while Easton’s men busily loaded their weapons.
Benjamin handed Teach a spyglass. He quickly scanned the Triumph. “I don’t recognize any of them,” he muttered, giving the deck another once-over. He strode to the railing in an attempt to make himself visible. And he waited. Where is John?
Benjamin jerked his head sideways just as the sound of a musket shot exploded from the deck of the Triumph. The young man raised his hand to his ear, blood pouring down his arm. Stooping over, Teach hurried to Benjamin’s side, snapping the spyglass shut and reaching up to check the wound. “Are you all right?” Teach asked.
Benjamin nodded. “It just grazed me.”
Teach breathed a sigh of relief. “Go have Anne take a look at it. And tell her to stay out of sight. John’s not in command of that ship.”
“What?”
“There’s no sign of him or any of our men. I know they saw me and they still opened fire.”